Nikon creates Nikkor 1 AW 10mm f/2.8 and 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 lenses

As part of its 'AW' launches, Nikon has announced the Nikkor 1 AW 10mm f/2.8 and 1 AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 lenses. Both lenses are existing designs built into waterproof, shockproof housings and are only compatible with the Nikon 1 AW1 body. The 1 AW 10mm f/2.8 offers a 27mm equivalent field-of-view and will be sold separately for around $200/£300/€319. The Nikkor 1 AW 11-27.5mm zoom offers a rather limited 30-74mm equivalent range and will only be available as part of a kit with the camera - meaning there are no image-stabilized AW lenses yet.

Interestingly, Nikon says the AW 10mm is waterproof to a depth of 20m (65ft), which is deeper than the 1 AW1 body is rated to.

London, UK , 19th September 2013 Nikon today announces the world’s first water/shockproof interchangeable lenses1 for dedicated use with the brand new water/shock/freeze-proof Nikon 1 AW1 system camera. The 1 NIKKOR AW 11–27.5mm f/3.5–5.6 lens is an action-loving 2.5x zoom lens, whilst the 1 NIKKOR AW 10mm f/2.8 lens is a ready-for-anywhere fast wide-angle lens. Both lenses are waterproof to 15 m and 20 m respectively2, shockproof from heights of up to 2 m3, and freeze-proof for temperatures down to -10°C.4

Perfect for shooting epic adventures or everyday action, these two lenses combine with the Nikon 1 AW1 camera to give active people stunning images. Whether shooting in the city, or on an adventure weekend away, users will stand out from the crowd and capture photos and movies that are sure to impress.

Thuan Bui, Product Manager for Nikon 1 products at Nikon UK says: “If you have a strong sense of style and a taste for adventure, the new Nikon 1 AW system is perfect for capturing your lifestyle. It’s fast, portable, and flexible, and the water/shock/freeze-proof build of both the camera and the lenses has been achieved at no cost to image quality, so you can enjoy superior results, even when you shoot underwater.”

He continues, “Whether you use the wide-angle or the zoom, you’ll enjoy the freedom that comes with shooting underwater without using waterproof housing, and when you’re capturing the action on land, there’s no need to worry about accidently dropping your gear, either.”

1 NIKKOR concept 1 NIKKOR lenses capture life with exceptional sharpness. Designed with active lifestyles in mind, the growing range covers a wide variety of scenes, and each lens is optimised for movie recording. Combined with the portability, power, and speed of Nikon 1 cameras, the small size of the 1 NIKKOR lenses truly sets the Nikon 1 system apart.

1 NIKKOR AW 11–27.5mm f/3.5–5.6: Ready for anywhere Come rain, shine, or murky underwater environments, this strong and stylish 2.5x zoom lens is an ideal lens for capturing a range of different scenarios. From casual snapshots to portraits and distant subjects, the 11–27.5mm zoom range (35mm equivalent: 30–74mm) covers most commonly used focal lengths, enabling great photos and movies to be captured at any moment. A wide zoom ring with knurled anti-slip surface facilitates smooth zooming, even when the photographer is wearing gloves. The tough build and luxurious metallic exterior of this lens complements the pristine looks of the Nikon 1 AW camera perfectly. As the standard kit lens for the Nikon 1 AW1 system, it comes in white, black, and silver to match the camera.

1 NIKKOR AW 10mm f/2.8: Fast wide-angle action On land or underwater, the robust, stylish, and fast 1 NIKKOR AW 10mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens captures stunning wide-angle shots in any environment. Thanks to its large maximum aperture of f/2.8, it’s a great way to bring low-light action to life and single out subjects by capturing images with beautiful bokeh. This lens does a great job of capturing sweeping vistas from the top of mist-covered mountains, and the close focusing distance of 0.2 m makes it ideal for shooting close-ups in murky underwater environments. Available in black, this lens has a tough build and a luxurious metallic exterior that complement the pristine looks of the Nikon 1 AW camera perfectly.

Superior image quality Both the new 1 NIKKOR AW lenses feature Nikon 1 optics optimised for sharp images across the entire frame. In order to ensure superior resolution and contrast, the zoom lens boasts an aspherical lens element and an ED glass element; the wide-angle lens incorporates two aspherical lens elements. In keeping with the wider range of 1 NIKKOR lenses, both of the new 1 NIKKOR AW lenses maintain the convenient portability of the Nikon 1 system, without sacrificing image quality.

Fully protected Both lenses have an extra layer of glass in front of the lens in order to protect against water and dust, and the zoom lens also boasts rubber sealing around the zoom ring. An O-ring around the camera’s lens mount protects the camera’s sensor from water and dust. When shooting with the Nikon 1 AW1 camera and a regular 1 NIKKOR lens, the O-ring protector (supplied in the camera’s body cap) can be used to protect the camera’s lens mount.

The 1 NIKKOR lineup The new 1 NIKKOR AW lenses are for dedicated use with the Nikon 1 AW1. All regular 1 NIKKOR lenses are compatible with the Nikon 1 AW1 as well as every other Nikon 1 camera in the range. For even more possibilities, you can use a NIKKOR lens in combination with the FT1 mount adapter.5

The current 1 NIKKOR lineup consists of 11 different lenses. The ultra-fast 1 NIKKOR 32mm f/1.2 medium-telephoto lens is the current flagship and makes a stunning portrait lens. It sits alongside a bright 18.5 mm lens with fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, a 10–100mm PD-ZOOM lens that’s made to make movies, and an ultra-wide 6.7–13mm zoom lens. Compact kit lenses are available in the same colours as the Nikon 1 camera bodies and cover a wide range of scenes: Like all 1 NIKKOR lenses, they provide the perfect balance of portability, power, speed, and quality, and are optimised for movie recording.

1 The new 1 NIKKKOR AW lenses are the world's first water/shockproof lenses among lenses for digital cameras with interchangeable lenses available (as of 9th August 2013); based on Nikon research 2 In-house tests have demonstrated JIS/IEC Class 8 (IPX8) waterproof performance; when attached to a waterproof camera. 3 Shockproof to resist a drop from a height of 2 m/6.6 ft (Has passed in-house tests to MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5: Shock standard; when attached to a waterproof camera) 4 When the lens is attached to the camera, in-house tests have demonstrated JIS/IEC Protection Class 8 (IPX8) waterproof performance to 15m (1 NIKKOR AW 11–27.5mm f/3.5–5.6) or 20 m (1 NIKKOR AW 10mm f/2.8) and shock resistance to MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5: Shock standard. 5 NIKKOR lenses mounted on the FT1 mount adapter have a 2.7x focal length crop factor, so you get a resulting angle of view that's over twice as long. For accurate information about compatibility with F-mount NIKKOR lenses, please refer to the manual.

Comments

underwater? ok. this camera seems well suited for adventure shooting in adverse environments. why a second lens that is like one commentary "barely wider than the zoom", the second should have been a real tele (maybe the 6' drop would've been too much but the at least aw is possible) because it's rare outdoor action shots are of "nearby" things.

I don't completely understand the prime, 27mm equivalent underwater is not *that* useful for sweeping underwater vistas. Similarly if you take the camera into whitewater. Also it's barely wider than the zoom anyway.

If you're aiming for ruggedness and underwater, surely a UWA (maximum 24 mm equivalent) pancake prime, even with somewhat less optical quality, would be a logical option?

I would have been very interested in this camera because we do quite a bit of outdoor activities and snorkling BUT to have this lens, which seems pretty useful for the underwater activity, I have to spend $800 for the camera AND the slow zoom, which is NOT that useful? Sounds like a bad marketing move, Nikon. I would rather have a choice to buy a body only and chose the lens to go with.

The Nikon 1 system in general is plenty good, with a good selection of non-waterproof lenses. However it faces huge competition from: Samsung, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, Olympus and even Leica. (No I didn't forget Canon.)

So now it has a variation which makes it standout from the competition.

A less expensive body + 10mm kit option without the slow zoom would be very welcome. Given the lack of stabilization in the system right now the 27mm equiv. f/2.8 lens is really the best option for the available depth rating. F/5.6 at 90mm equiv. with no IS in 10m of sea will need a pretty hefty flash to be useful, even in clear water on a sunny day.

Maybe underwater you're forced to move slower and you shake less due to the higher density of the water compared to air?Anyway you can always carry underwater your tripod with some stones attached to it... this should do the trick!

Very niche. Nothing wrong with that, unless you're trying to save a dying system. Doubt this is intended to do that though. Some people will like it, many will find it totally irrelevant. But it could be the best waterproof camera there is and that's not a bad thing.

Filter thread on this lens brings some potential for a beautiful disaster. Let’s see...someone dives to a specified 20m, with filter attached. Assuming it's tight and traps the air bubble against the front lens, for 40mm filter glass, effective force pushing the glass to the inside would be an equivalent of some 25kg static load...on a 1mm glass slice.

Diopters get used all the time to reduce minimum focus distance, and coloured filters to correct white balance, though less so now you can correct in post so easily. Generally the easiest way to manage bubbles has been to put it on after you get in the water, and the ones for underwater use are generally pretty thick anyhow - you have to get rid of bubbles anyhow or they effect the image.

@Andy WestlakeProtective glass may get damaged / scratched when a filter rapidly colapses in front of it. When two pieces of (mechanically) similar material crash there will be damage on both elements.@peevee1Well, I wouldn't... It's just a matter of time before someone does though :)

Maybe it can go on the end of a 5m-long extension tube, for extreme close-ups...?

Seriously, it's most likely that the 10mm 2.8 has a deeper rating simply because it has no external moving parts - fundamentally it's a sealed cylinder with a lens inside. It's not clearly different in design or build quality to the 11-27.5mm, but it doesn't have a zoom ring, which is the most obvious failure point.